Friday, February 3, 2012

Get into the Mardi Gras spirit with the Children’s Mardi Gras Saturday, Feb. 4 at Lakeview Park, located three miles north of Eunice on Highway 13. At 9 a.m., kids can begin decorating their bikes and golf carts for the 3:30 p.m. parade.

A free movie begins at 10 a.m., followed by mask and hat decorating at 1 p.m. A costume contest follows the parade.

Kyle Huval

Lakeview also resumes its old fashioned, fais-do-do barn dances with Kyle Huval and the Dixie Club Ramblers from 8 p.m. to midnight Saturday. For more information, call (337) 457-2881 or visit www.lvpark.com.

In other St. Landry Parish events:

Four Artistic Visions, a Black History Month art exhibit, is on display at the Opelousas Museum and Interpretive Center, 315 N. Main St., in Opelousas. The mixed media exhibit, which features art by Darlene Moore, Randell Henry, Ronald Kennedy and Ella Guillory, continues through March 31.

The weekly Saturday morning Cajun jam sessions will be held from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at Savoy Music Center, located on Highway 190 just east of Eunice. Admission is free. (337) 457-9563, www.savoymusiccenter.com.

Homer LeJeune and the Cajun Kings perform at the Rendez-Vous des Cajuns radio and TV show at 6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28 at the Liberty Theater in Eunice. The weekly program features Cajun and Creole musicians in a Grand Ole Opry, Prairie Home Companion format. Aaron Chesson and Bayou Heat also entertain. (337) 457-7389, www.eunice-la.com.

In upcoming events, the Second Annual L’Argent Trailride and Chicken Run takes place Feb. 17-19 at the IFBS Lodge, 6240 Hwy. 31, in Leonville. Lil Nate and the Zydeco Big Timers, J. Paul Jr. Lil Wayne and Cupid are among the entertainers.

Irma Thomas, the Soul Queen of New Orleans, performs in a free concert at 9 p.m. Feb. 18 at the Event Center at Evangeline Downs Racetrack & Casino. Guests must have a Fast Track Rewards Players Card to enter free. Admission is limited to the first 1,500 members.

For more information on parish events, call the St. Landry Parish Tourist Commission at (337) 948-8004 or visit www.cajuntravel.com. Events are also listed on Facebook at St. Landry Parish – It’s Gumbo for Your Soul and Twitter @StLandryParish. Videos are online at www.youtube.com/StLandryParish.